Crane Boom Fails, 3 Injured

Transcription

1 Crane Boom Fails, 3 Injured Lessons Learned Volume 04 Issue USW

2 Crane Boom Fails, 3 Injured Purpose To conduct a small group lessons learned activity to share information gained from incident investigations. To understand lessons learned through a systems of safety viewpoint. This material was produced by The Labor Institute and USW under grant number 46DO-HT11 Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The incident and recommendations made are from an actual USW represented facility. These recommendations are a product of the site s analysis of the incident and not meant to represent the USW official view on the topic(s). In fact, one of the goals of this exercise is evaluate the recommendations made and to suggest improvements. 1

3 Introduction One Hour Lessons Learned Safety Training Activity This is a Small Group Activity Method (SGAM) exercise. It is designed for use in toolbox style meetings where a group of craft persons, operators, or other small group is assembled for a safety training session. The whole group should be further divided into smaller discussion groups of four to six people. The tone of the meetings should be informal to create as much discussion as possible within the groups and among the groups. Active participation by group members is essential for this exercise to be successful. If you plan to present a Lessons Learned Activity and have not been trained in the USW worker trainer program, you should contact the USW Health, Safety & Environment Department: Phone (412) safety@steelworkers-usw.org for trainer information. For this exercise, each person in the group should have their own copy of this activity printed in its entirety. The exercise consists of three tasks. Each task is designed to provoke thought and generate discussion about the incident at hand. Each discussion group should designate a scribe to keep notes and report back to the facilitator and class after each task. When the exercise is completed, review the Summary on page 13. Definitions of terms used in this exercise are provided throughout the activity. A glossary of terms is also provided in the appendix. The incident(s) depicted in this activity are based upon real occurrences. The names of persons and corporations are fictitious. 2

4 Task 1 Please read the following scenario: A 200 ton crane was damaged and 3 contractors received injuries requiring first aid in an incident at an oil refinery. Two were hit by falling debris and one while running from the incident site. The primary crane operator was concerned about an unusual noise heard during safety checks of the 200 ton crane. A second operator was asked to move the crane into position while the Primary Operator listened at the rear of the crane to determine the source of the noise. The second operator was unfamiliar with the uncommon design of the controls in this particular crane. As a result, while he was positioning the crane, the hoist control lever was left in the low speed position instead of the stop position. The second operator was unaware that the ball and hook were still moving because they were not visible from his position. There was no spotter present. The ball and hook traveled past its stopping point, bending the boom backwards. The impact knocked loose pieces of the boom bracing, which fell to the ground. The resulting noise alerted the workers who were working below to escape from the area. It is a common practice to clear the area only when loads are being lifted. The crane operator s daily equipment reports repeatedly stated that a safety switch, an anti-two block (A 2 B), was not working properly. The A 2 B is a device that is designed to prevent the ball from contacting the end of the crane boom. The 2 nd operator was unaware that the A 2 B device was not operational. It had either been disabled or bypassed. There is no existing company procedure requiring the A 2 B to be operational. A work order had been written but it normally took several days to have repairs completed. The A 2 B switch warning light had been on, but ignored for two days. The crane contractor policy is to ensure that all safety devices are operational before operating the crane. The daily equipment report checklist does not specifically mention the A 2 B though OSHA regulations do ( (g)(3)(ii)(C)). Although the contractor policy is to complete a checklist before beginning any work, the list is not turned in until the end of the shift. Crane operators and oilers typically continue to make notations on the checklist as the day progresses and other problems are detected. 3

5 Task 1 (continued) On the next page you will find a logic tree that shows how the investigators at this site linked the incident that occurred (the top event) to the facts described in the scenario and the incident s root causes. Below each root cause in the logic tree you will find a block with the title SOS (System of Safety). Find the boxes marked SOS. Directly above those boxes will be a root cause of the incident. Your task is to complete the logic tree by identifying the major system of safety affected where the root cause failure occurred and list it in the box. These systems are listed in a chart on page 9. Note: some of the SOS boxes may already be completed for you. Please select someone in your group to act as scribe to report back your answers. 4

6 A Logic Tree is a pictorial representation of a logical process that maps an incident from its occurrence to the root causes of the incident. What Caused or Allowed 3 first aid cases to occur Worker injured while evacuating Workers injured from falling debris Workers scrambled at time of incident Metal debris bounced and hit workers Normal Crane jib broke Normal practice is to flag off areas only before lifts Jib bent backwards Root Cause Risk is perceived to be present only during lifts Ball was over retracted SOS A2B did not shut down ball movement Operator thought hook movement had stopped A2B was bypassed or had failed Root Cause No spotter present when crane was in motion Operator cannot see ball and hook when ball is near the top of the boom Operator thought hoist control was in stop position A2B warning was ignored NMI SOS Ball is in blind spot when boom is nearly verticle and the ball is near the top of boom Root Cause The crane control lever is uncommon Crane operator was unfamiliar with this specific model of crane It is a common practice to ignore the A2B alarm Non-Correctable SOS Substitute operator was operating the crane There was no equipment specific training Root Cause It is common for the A2B to malfunction Root Cause Bypassing the A2B is necessary to operate the crane When A2B malfunctions, operator runs crane anyway Primary crane operator was investigating unusual noise eminating from cable spool Root Cause Equipment specific training not required SOS SOS It may take several days for safety devices to be repaired NMI SOS Root Cause Crane Operator Daily Report treated with low sense or urgency SOS 5

7 Task 2 A USW Lessons Learned Activity A. Below you will find two lists. On the left are the root causes from the logic tree on the previous page. On the right are recommendations made by the team that investigated this incident. On the chart below identify which of the recommendations would eliminate or reduce each root cause by placing the number of the recommendation(s) on the line provided. More than one recommendation can apply to a root cause. Root Causes A. The crane lever control is uncommon. B. It is common for A 2 B to malfunction. C. Bypassing the A 2 B is frequently necessary to operate the crane. D. Risk is perceived to be present only during lifts. E. Crane Operator Reports are treated with a low sense of urgency. F. Specific training for each crane model was not required. Recommendations 1. Train company and contract employees that hazards exist from crane movements whether a load is being lifted or not. 2. Establish a minimum time or training requirement for orientation of crane operators on each specific model of crane. 3. Require the completion and submittal of the Crane Operator Daily Safety Report prior to crane operation. 4. Require immediate shutdown of crane operations when any safety device is found to be nonfunctional. 5. Require the safety device be repaired or have a written mitigation plan approved before crane operations can resume. 6. Establish a preventative maintenance program for A 2 B devices to increase reliability. 6

8 B. Use the concepts found on the factsheets on pages 9 through 12 and evaluate the recommendations from Question A. How would you strengthen or add to the list? 7

9 Task 3 Discuss ways in which the Lessons Learned (listed below) from this incident can be applied at your workplace. Please explain. Lessons Learned Never operate unfamiliar equipment. Use and maintain safety equipment. Never operate lifting equipment without a spotter in place. Never operate equipment with safety systems not working. 8

10 Systems of Safety And Subsystems Major Safety Systems Design & Engineering Maintenance & Inspection Mitigation Devices Warning Devices Training & Procedures Personal Protective Factors Level of Prevention Highest the first line of defense Middle the second line of defense Lowest the last line of defense Effectiveness Most Effective Least Effective Goal To eliminate hazards. To further minimize and control hazards. To protect when higher level systems fail. Examples of Safety Sub- Systems * Technical Design and Engineering of Equipment, Processes and Software Management of Change (MOC) ** Chemical Selection and Substitution Safe Siting Work Environment HF Organizational Staffing HF Skills and Qualifications HF Inspection and Testing Maintenance Quality Control Turnarounds and Overhauls Mechanical Integrity Enclosures, Barriers and Containment Relief and Check Valves Shutdown and Isolation Devices Fire and Chemical Suppression Devices Monitors Process Alarms Facility Alarms Community Alarms Emergency Notification Systems Operating Manuals and Procedures Process Safety Information Process, Job and Other Types of Hazard Assessment and Analysis Permit Programs Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Personal Decisionmaking and Actions HF Personal Protective Equipment and Devices HF Stop Work Authority Management of Personnel Change (MOPC) Work Organization and Scheduling HF Allocation of Resources Information Resources Communications Investigations and Lessons Learned Codes, Standards and Policies ** HF Indicates that this sub-system is often included in a category called Human Factors. * There may be additional subsystems that are not included in this chart. Also, in the workplace many subsystems are interrelated. It may not always be clear that an issue belongs to one subsystem rather than another. ** The Codes, Standards and Policies and Management of Change sub-systems listed here are related to Design and Engineering. These subsystems may also be relevant to other systems, for example, Mitigation Devices. When these sub-systems relate to systems other than Design and Engineering they should be considered as part of those other systems, not Design and Engineering. 9

11 All Systems of Safety Are Not Created Equal! Surprisingly, the same hazard can often be addressed in more than one system. Take the low pipe in the doorway above, on the next two pages you ll see how this same problem could be handled by each of the major Systems of Safety. Which is the best approach? Well, if you look at the Systems of Safety Chart on the previous page, you will find the SOS s arranged in order of strength: the most powerful Design on down to the least powerful Personal Protective Factors. A good investigation team will consider the full range of recommendations for each root cause. 10

12 Personal Protective Factors Sub-systems that include a broad range of working conditions and situations that affect workers. Weakest system Controls the hazard directly at the individual s level Procedures and Training The instructions and knowledge necessary to maintain and operate equipment or processes Easier to affect groups of workers. Dependent on individuals memories and lack of distraction The Warning System Devices that warn of a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation. Draws attention May be missed or ignored 11

13 The Mitigation System Sub-systems that automatically act to control or reduce the effect of hazards. Workers protected automatically Maintenance & Inspection The system responsible for maintaining, repairing and inspecting equipment and processes. Vital to make sure even the best designed system continues to function safely Design and Engineering The primary (highest level) system that designs the hazard out of the process. Strongest system Hazard eliminated 12

14 Summary: Lessons Learned The objective of lessons learned is to prevent accidents through identifying and correcting underlying defects in systems of safety. To achieve maximum prevention, all recommended changes should be made. Corrective action resulting from lessons learned is one of the best methods for achieving proactive health and safety. Maximum prevention is achieved by correcting the conditions that led to the incident at other sites in the plant and at other sites. Systems of safety-based analysis help identify the underlying causes of incidents and are valuable for determining what corrective measures should be taken as a result of the lessons learned. Many times the result of an incident investigation is that worker error is identified as the main contributing factor. When a systems of safetybased analysis is used, multiple root causes are usually uncovered. The most effective controls of health and safety hazards are those which are integrated or designed into the process, such as engineering controls. The least effective controls involve personal protective equipment and procedures that merely acknowledge the hazard and do nothing to eliminate it. All work-related hazards must be evaluated before work begins to eliminate or reduce worker exposure to hazards and to prevent injuries. 13

15 Glossary of Terms (Appendix) Several unique terms are used while doing the Lessons Learned exercises. Their definitions are listed below. Contributing Factor something that actively contributes to the production of a result, an ingredient. Fact a piece of information presented as having objective reality, an actual occurrence or event. Hierarchy of Systems of Safety the ranking of systems of safety as to their relative effectiveness in providing accident prevention. This hierarchy is represented by the Fulcrum with the most effective system of safety residing on the left side of the lever. Less effective systems reside further to the right on the lever. Lessons Learned A summation of an investigation that describes safety hazards or conditions with general educational recommendations to identify and correct similar conditions. These differ from investigation recommendations as illustrated below: Investigation recommendation: Replace the carbon steel gate valve on the vacuum tower bottoms line with a chrome valve. The valve failed due to corrosion. Lessons Learned: Verify that carbon steel valves and piping are not used in vacuum tower bottoms service because corrosion can cause them to fail. Logic Tree a pictorial representation of a logical process that maps an incident from its occurrence to the root causes of the incident. Recommendations calls for specific changes that address each root cause of an incident or accident to prevent its reoccurrence. Root Cause basic cause of an accident found in management safety systems. 14

16 Glossary of Terms (continued) A USW Lessons Learned Activity Supports and Barriers supports are conditions that promote or render assistance to implementing recommendations while barriers are conditions that obstruct the implementation of recommendations. Systems of Safety management systems that actively seek to identify and control hazards before they result in an incident or injury. Design and Engineering Maintenance & Inspection Mitigation Devices Warning Systems Procedures and Training Personal Protective Factors 15

17 Conducting a Lessons Learned Activity Circle the number that best shows your response to each of the following questions. 1. How easy was it for you to understand the systems of safety approach presented in this activity? Very easy Somewhat easy Somewhat hard Very hard 2. How useful do you think this systems of safety way of thinking could be for tackling safety and health problems at your workplace? Very useful Somewhat useful Not very useful Of no use 3. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: The logic tree diagram approach can be helpful for analyzing the root causes of safety and health incidents Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree 4. Overall, how useful was this lessons learned activity for considering safety and health problems at your workplace? Very useful Somewhat useful Not very useful Of no use 16 Volume 4 Issue 16